VF Corp to make retail push in MENA and SEA regions with 300 store openings

VF Corp, the parent company to Vans, The North Face and Timberland, is preparing to make a big push in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Southeast Asia (SEA) markets over the next five years through a new distribution and retail deal with GMG.

As part of the agreement, retail conglomerate GMG has been tasked with expanding the presence of VF-owned brands in the regions, building on its current portfolio of 90 mono-brand VF stores.

The firm is now planning to roll out a further 300 plus store locations over the next five years, with each region to have its own dedicated strategy depending on VF’s current presence in them.

In SEA, for example, the plan revolves around introducing the group’s brands to the market through the opening of mono-brand stores and build up of e-commerce businesses for select labels.

In a release, deputy chairman and CEO of GMG, Mohammad Baker, said that there was a “remarkable growth potential” in this region, which has seen an “expanding labour force, rising household incomes, and an expanding consumer base”.

With the added focus on personal health, Baker noted that there has been a rise in demand for sports goods retail “with significant opportunities for businesses seeking to capitalise on its potential”.

Meanwhile, in MENA, Vans, The North Face and Timberland are all expected to receive an expanded mono-brand footprint, primarily focused on the United Arab Emirates and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Brands will also be expanding in North Africa with a strategic focus on Egypt, while The North Face is on the path to entering this market for the first time.